


And All That Could Have Been

by Kindassunshine



Category: Dark-Hunter Series - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Genre: Anal Fingering, Biting, Blood Drinking, Frottage, Hair Braiding, Hand Jobs, M/M, Nipple Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 13:34:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19702411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kindassunshine/pseuds/Kindassunshine
Summary: Nick is angry and frightened following Kyrian's attack but Ash is on hand to comfort him the best way he can.Set during Night Pleasures.





	And All That Could Have Been

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone read the Chronicles of Nick manga? Ash looks so cool I can't bear it 😂 
> 
> Enjoy!

Nick threw the jag into the parking lot, not quite angry enough to not care about the paint work but close. He sat for a moment, watching couples and groups trot past him to their evening revels. He was having difficulty unclenching his hands from the steering wheel. He tried to take a full breath, but his heart felt like it was trying to escape through his chest. Kyrian was going to get himself killed with his own stupidity and there was nothing Nick could do about it.

He groaned, trying to swallow the thickness in his throat. The memory of Kyrian nailed by the wrists kept replaying whenever he closed his eyes. His forehead came to rest on the wheel between his clenched fists. He just felt so helpless.

He needed a drink. Popping the door, he glanced at his beeper as he unfolded his tall frame from the car. A tingle went across the back of his neck, like a single icy finger had lightly stroked him. _Daimons_. Nick tensed, coiled like a spring, ready to fight for his life. He scanned the darkened lot, trying to spot any figures crouched between the cars.  
A hand touched him lightly between the shoulder blades and he whipped round, concealed knife slipping into his palm.

‘You!’ he shouted, recognising the long dark hair and the sharp grin a split second before he sunk his knife into it. ‘What the fuck are you doing?’ Nick gasped, taking a clumsy step back still shaking from the glut of adrenaline.

Though he’d never admit it, he felt a glowing rush of relief at seeing Ash. Now everything would be fine. Ash would fix this. He’d talk to Kyrian. Or he’d punch Kyrian… or Nick would punch Kyrian.

Pocketing the knife, he crumpled against the jag as Ash moved closer to him ruffling his hair.

‘Fuck _off_ , Ash,’ he growled, flacking his hand away, ‘I thought you were Desiderius.’ He was less than amused, his heart was still going like a jack-hammer.

‘I could tell that,’ Ash chuckled, settling against the car next to him.

‘You’re not funny,’ Nick grunted at him.

‘Now that’s where you’re wrong,’ Ash smirked.

‘Did Kyrian send you?’ Nick asked. However pissed he was for Ash’s stunt, it was definitely trumped by his need for Ash to stop Kyrian fighting the daimon on steroids that was Desiderius. Ash grinned to his fangs.

‘No-one sends me anywhere, cher,’ he grinned and Nick punched him in the arm for the terrible impression of his accent.

‘Let’s talk in the car,’ Ash grumbled, ‘—it’s freezing.’ Nick straightened, unlocking the car, though he was fairly certain Dark-Hunters couldn’t feel the cold. Nick climbed into the driver’s seat and then snorted seeing Ash had somehow crammed himself into the passenger side.

‘The seat goes back you know,’ he told him, smiling.

‘Yeah, I know that,’ Ash muttered, promptly pulling the wrong lever and sending the seat over until he was almost horizontal. Nick chuckled, leaning over him the pull the correct lever. He could feel the heat from Ash’s thigh against his arm and, realising he’d reached directly between Ash’s thighs, withdrew it quickly. Ash pushed with his feet until his legs weren’t bent up so awkwardly.

‘Better?’ Nick asked, hoping it was too dark for his flush to be visible.

‘Uh-huh,’ Ash wriggled on his back like a cat getting comfortable, not bothering to straighten the seat. Then he took off his sunglasses and Nick could tell he was peering at him in the half-dark of the car. ‘I’m sorry I frightened you,’ he said. Nick shrugged, surprised by his contrition, fiddling with a hang-nail so he didn’t have to look at him.

‘Join the club,’ he muttered, ‘you and Kyrian can get jackets.’

‘He was beat up pretty bad, huh?’ Ash murmured, picking a loose thread in his leathers.

‘Did you see him?’ Nick asked tightly.

‘Not yet,’ Ash told him.

‘They were going to… going to…’ Nick could feel the thickness in his throat again, ‘... the sun was coming up and…he was nailed to a fence, did he tell you that? I mean he could have...’ he stopped, fingernails digging so hard into his palms he thought they’d break the skin. He could feel the warmth of Ash’s hand on the back of his neck.

Nick huffed out a breath, allowing himself to soften as Ash kneaded his the muscle between his shoulder blades. He lent his cheek onto wheel, turning away from Ash.

'What's dying like?' Nick murmured into the quiet. He was feeling flat and morbid, after the argument with Kyrian. And he wanted something from Ash. A sliver of his a closely guarded mystery felt like a fair price. Ash's burning palm had paused on his back before it resumed rubbing.

'It's fine,' Ash answered, '...it doesn't even hurt that much.' Nick snorted.

'Were you afraid?' He asked, turning to look at his silhouette in the half-dark. He could hear Ash sucking on his lip ring thinking.

'By then... not really...' Ash said quietly, 'I didn't want to though, when it was happening. I don't want anyone else to have to die like that…' his hand was stroking through Nick's hair now.

‘Will you talk to Kyrian? Nick mumbled.

‘I’ll talk… whether he listens is up to him,’ Ash sighed, then he sat up a little, ‘so… you wanna see something cool?’ Nick eyed him, seeing his teeth gleam. Ash’s attempt to distract him was hardly subtle but... fuck it he would bite.

‘Sure…’ he said, watching as Ash refiled through his rucksack.

‘You can’t tell any of the other Squires about this, okay?’ Ash said, giving Nick a piercing look, ‘it’s not something mortals should see.’ Nick sat up a little straighter, interested now. Ash drew out a black wooden box about the size of his hand. Nick gasped.

‘Oh! Gods! My mortal eyes!’ he cried, covering his face trembling, 'a box!’ Ash snorted.

‘Well, if you’re not interested...’ he said archly, making to put the mysterious box away.

‘I am,’ Nick said quickly, swallowing his laughter, ‘... you’re just so serious — it’s weird.’

‘This is a big deal,’ Ash said as he handed him the box, ‘it’s Kyrian’s. Be careful.’

Nick flicked it open frowning at the contents.

‘You’re giving Kyrian a medal?’ Nick asked, tipping box from on side to the other watching the iridescence flow across the surface of the disk inside. He’d never heard of a Dark-Hunter receiving an award.

‘It’s not a medal,’ Ash told him gently. Nick looked at him, his face underlit by the reddish light of the object seemed to be emitting. He frowned into the box again.

‘A weapon...?’ he questioned, ‘...something he can beat Desiderius with?’

‘In a way,’ Ash agreed, ‘—it’s his soul.’ Nick’s head snapped around to look at him.

‘What?’ he hissed, alarmed, ‘should I be touching it?’ Ash shrugged. Nick’s mind was reeling, hands tingling as he looked down at Kyrian’s soul. ‘It doesn’t look how I imagined,’ he muttered after a moment peering at the stone.

‘What were you imagining?’ Ash asked amused. Nick considered.

‘Like… a transparent Kyrian,’ he said finally.

‘You watch too much TV,’ Ash chuckled.

‘How does it go back to him?’ Nick asked. He’d heard rumours of Dark-Hunters regaining their souls, honestly he had thought it was bullshit.

‘There’s a ritual,’ Ash explained, extending his hand to touch the disk lightly.

‘You’re going to do it?’ Nick asked, watching as Ash traced over the words and symbols carved on the surface.

‘I can’t,’ he said quietly, withdrawing his hand. Nick frowned, something occurring to him.

‘So you carry around everyone’s soul in your backpack?’ he asked, not sure if this would be amusing or concerning.

‘No,’ Ash chuckled, ‘this is a recent acquisition from Artemis.’

‘She gives it back when it’s the right time?’ Nick asked, thinking of Kyrian’s green-black eyes.

‘No,’ Ash replied with another snort, ‘she doesn’t.’ Nick would have dearly liked to ask how Ash had talked Artemis into giving back Kyrian’s soul but nothing made Ash clam-up like questions about the goddess.

‘If Kyrian has his soul back then…’ Nick started, the words of the Oracles clicking into place, ‘this is the prophecy…’

‘That’s what I hope,’ Ash muttered, rubbing his chin, ‘but no-one knows everything about the future.’

‘What happens if it’s not?’ Nick asked.

‘Let’s hope we don’t find out,’ Ash shrugged. Nick exhaled, the Oracles had nothing on Ash for being infuriating.

He closed the box carefully and handed it back to him. Ash accepted it stowing it carefully in the depth of his rucksack before he relaxed back against the seat again. Nick watched him. He felt weird, a little light-headed and tingly. His mind over-clocking as he tried to work out all the possible outcomes spiraling out from them at this point.

Ash appeared to be thinking too. He had one hand holding the headrest above his head, so his entire body was sprawled out in a long lean line. This pulled up his t-shirt, showing a few inches of tawny skin. Nick tried not to notice the other hand tapping over the double bow-and-arrow mark on his exposed right hip. After another moment listening to their breathing, Nick became aware of Ash’s eyes on him in the half-dark.

‘Hey,’ Ash murmured, as Nick turned onto his side to look at him.

‘Hey,’ Nick replied, suddenly very aware of his heartbeat. Ash was looking at him now, smiling a little. It was a look he recognised. It was the same one Ash had given him the first time he’d let Nick kiss him. He’d been barely 20 and so excited Ash would let him anywhere near him he’d nearly missed.

‘You gonna come over here?’ he murmured. Nick felt a lick of heat.

‘We’re in a parking lot,’ Nick told him indignantly, indicating the undeniably well-lit thoroughfare.

‘I don’t mind,’ Ash shrugged.

‘ _I_ mind being arrested for indecent exposure,’ Nick retorted.

‘No-one will see,’ Ash grinned, ‘I promise.’

‘You have no ability to keep that promise,’ Nick told him.

‘Sure I do. C’mon Nicky...’ Ash coaxed, smiling at him, ‘...you’re hot when you’re mad.’ Nick snorted, feeling heat flood into his face. It was almost embarrassingly flattering to be called attractive by someone as mind-bendingly gorgeous as Ash. Nick bit his cheek, but then who was he kidding? Glancing once through the windscreen to check there was no-one strolling past, he slid over the center of the car.

Ash’s hot hands came up to help him, pulling and guiding him until his knees were dug into the seat either side of Ash’s hips. Ash hummed, one had sinking into his hair and the other cupping his behind, pulling Nick into him. Nick licked his lips and then kissed him.

Ash’s mouth was burning, his tongue sliding hot and slick into Nick’s mouth. Nick sank into him, absorbing the heat from his body, hands skimming down his sides before slipping under his t-shirt. Ash broke their kiss gently. Then he was tugging on the hem of Nick’s sweater.

‘Take this off,’ Ash mumbled, hands skating over his stomach, ‘I want to feel your skin.’ Nick felt himself flush. He pulled the sweater over his head, both of them laughing as he tried to avoid elbowing Ash in the face. When he finally got it off, Ash made an appreciative noise hands settling on Nick’s waist.

Nick reached for him pushing up his t-shirt up to his chest, Ash had already wriggled out of his black trench. They kissed again. Ash pulled him close both hands stroking down the length of his back. Nick slid his tongue into Ash’s mouth, then along his incisors. He chuckled, pulling back a little, before sinking into his again.

Nick shivered, feeling his toes curl in his sneakers. Ash kissed him deeply and thoroughly, tongue tracing around his mouth like he was making a relief map of it. Nick’s was breathless. His body was burning, his jeans now uncomfortably tight. Ash’s skin felt smooth and warm sliding against his. He could feel Ash’s hips flexing against him.

Ash suddenly stiffened. Nick sat back a little panting, the ringing Ash had obviously heard finally penetrating his overheated brain. Ash pulled him closer, reaching around him to fish his phone out of the rucksack. Checking the caller id, he answered with a curt— ‘ _what_?’

Nick stayed lent against him noticing with satisfaction that he could feel Ash’s heart beating fast in his chest. He was close enough to hear an equally irritated female voice speaking on the other end of the line. They were speaking too quickly for Nick to understand but from the couple of words he caught it was clearly ancient greek.

He shifted trying in ease the ache between his legs and his mouth brushed against Ash’s throat. Ash twitched. Nick grinned, pressing his mouth to his throat again lightly digging his teeth into the warm flesh. A hand gripped his hair, pulling him firmly away. It wasn’t painful but the prickling that passed over his scalp went straight to his groin.

He could see the light reflecting off Ash’s narrowed eyes. Nick smirked. Ash was listening now, only adding a word here and there. As Ash’s hand was still tight in his hair, Nick used his own hands, lightly touching Ash’s smooth stomach, stroking carefully up over his ribs pausing when his fingertips brushed over the studs in his nipples. He pinched them gently, feeling them grow firm under the gentle pressure.

 _Stop_ , flickered across the surface of his mind. Nick grinned wider. Ash must be really worked up if he was using his powers. Nick pulled back his hands, thinking. Well if he couldn't touch Ash, he could always touch himself.

He pressed his fingertips into his ribs, more confident of their pressure on his own body. Tracing up the sides of his torso until his fingers stroked over taut peaks. He rubbed them a little. The hand that still gripped his hair tightened, pulling until Nick had no choice but to allow his neck to be bent back and his spine to arch to relieve the pressure. He glanced at Ash, sure the hand was warning him to cease his teasing. But Ash’s eyes weren’t on his face. They were on his hands, following as Nick caressed himself. Nick felt a tiny rush of triumph.

‘Fine,’ Ash switching suddenly to English, speaking clippedly into the phone, ‘I’ll get right onto it — if we’re done? I’ve got stuff to do.’ A pause while Ash listened, tongue running absentmindedly over his full lower lip as him continued to watch Nick. Then he laughed, ‘the none-of-your-business kind of stuff… yeah? Well, if you’ll recall my business stopped being your business before they invented the wheel.’ Ash killed the call, eyeing Nick.

‘You are going to seriously regret that,’ he murmured, voice velvety. Nick flushed lowering his hands. He felt uncertain again suddenly, biting his lip.

‘Do you need to go?’ he asked, the warm intimacy between them quickly evaporating.

‘No,’ Ash muttered, pulling the battery from his phone and dumping both the handset and battery pack on the driver's seat.

'I shouldn’t have answered that,’ Ash sighed, moving his own hand to stroke over Nick’s now slightly over-sensitive nipple and then replaced it with his tongue. Nick bit his lip hard, as a wave of heat washed over him. Ash swiped his tongue over Nick’s skin once more before returning to his mouth. Ash sunk a hand into his hair again and the other was on the fastening of his jeans. Nick panting feeling Ash’s long fingers now stroking through his underwear. His skin felt like it was burning, sparks of electricity flickering through his veins. Ash continued to stroke him, fingertips hot through thin fabric.

Nick retaliated in kind, sliding a hand up the inside of Ash’s leg. He could feel Ash smirk as he nipped his chin, moving to kiss the side of his neck. Nick shivered, feeling his back arch as Ash licked over his pulse point. He pressed his palm into Ash’s thigh, sliding over his hip pausing when he reached his waistband. Nick stopped.

‘Are you kidding me with these?’ he hissed, pulling ineffectually on the laces of his fly.

‘They’re comfortable,’ Ash murmured unapologetic, sliding a hand down to loosen them himself. Nick found himself wishing he could see better in the dark. Ash wriggled his leathers down enough for Nick to feel several more inches of hot, smooth skin. They kissed again. Nick fitted his hand around him, flushing at the sensation of Ash’s erection hot and hard in his hand. Ash exhaled, hips pushing up into Nick’s touches.

Ash pulled back from his mouth a little. A hand smoothing down Nick’s hair, to his cheek and then traced his fingertips over his bottom lip. Electricity flickered in the wake of his fingers as the two longest slipped into his mouth. Nick swallowed. The fingers pressed lightly into his tongue. His heart was pounding.

‘Lick,’ Ash said softly. The syllable sounded sticky in his mouth. Nick did, curling his tongue playfully to make Ash laugh. Then Ash’s hand was sliding down his back again, beneath his waistband and between his cheeks. Nick bit his lip, feeling Ash stroke over his intimate skin before pushing carefully inside his body.

The sensation of Ash’s fingers pushing in and out of him, sharpened every other sensation. He could feel his deep internal muscles taut with anticipation. He panted against Ash’s mouth. His thighs twitching were as he pressed into Ash, rolling his hips, knees digging into the seat under him. His erection trapped between their stomachs, stroking up and down Ash’s burning skin. Ash was kissing him again, along his collar bone and up his throat.

Ash other hand had slid between them now, fitting around him. Nick exhaled threw his teeth, his entire lower body throbbing with intense pleasure. He bit his lip, palms flat on Ash chest, fingers digging in. He was aware of Ash’s eyes on him, gleaming, making him feel hot and self-conscious.

Then Ash shifted his hand slightly and brushed something inside him that made his entire body clench. He gasped, digging his blunt nails into the thick muscle in Ash’s shoulder. Ash chucked easing off him a little.

‘I hate you,’ Nick choked out, which made Ash laugh more. Ash kissed him deeply again, fingertips stroking over the head of his cock. Nick shivered, pushing urgently against him. There were lights flickering behind Nick’s eyes. He could feel his body clenching around Ash as he tipped over the precipice.

He came with a gasp.

Ash kissed the side of his head, carefully removing hand his hand. Nick panted, forehead against Ash’s chest. He could feel him hum contentedly.

Nick could feel his erection still hard against his stomach. Shifting and sliding his hands over him, Nick stroked firmly. He could feel Ash’s hot breath against his chest and neck. Nick held him more firmly and Ash groaned.

Nick lent closer into him, feeling the slight roughness of his jaw as he pressed his lips to his cheek. Nick shifted closer, pushing his hips down, feeling a shivering aftershock. Nick nipped his earlobe, tongue running over the stud. Ash grunted, hips pushing up into his. Ash’s hot hands, settled onto his hips holding him in place as Ash flexed into him. There was moist breath on his neck and then Ash’s mouth was on him sucking. Nick panted, barely able to keep a grip as Ash writhed. He felt incredible, his whole body hot and flexing deliciously underneath Nick. He felt Ash go rigid a split second before he felt the sudden burning in his neck. Ash had dug his hands into both his hips, hard enough to bruise, and sunk his teeth into his throat.

Nick stayed still, feeling shivering adrenaline slowly draining out of him. Ash lapped his skin gently, wound already healing. Withdrawing from his neck and wrapping both arms around his back, Ash hugged him. Nick allowed himself to be held, though he was sticky and stiff from being squeezed into the seat. He tucked his chin into Ash’s shoulder as his heart rate evened out. Ash’s arms when looped loosely around his back. They were breathing in time like they were one creature, one soul. He smiled to himself. Idiot, he couldn’t help thinking, Ash didn’t even have a soul.

‘Okay... we gotta move,’ Ash exhaled, after holding him for a moment longer. Nick sat up straighter, stretching his back a little. Ash definitely knew how to get him out of his head. Although he wasn’t sure if he felt better or just more tired.

Ash shrugged off his t-shirt and used it to wipe them both down, making Nick squirm at even gentle touches. He pulled his jeans up and slid back over to the driver’s side. Rescuing Ash’s phone as he settled back into the seat and clipping the battery back in. It instantly began ringing.

‘Don’t answer that,’ Ash said digging another crumpled band shirt out of his bag. Nick nodded, removing the battery again, watching with interest as Ash pulled up his leathers tugging the t-shirt on. Nick eyed the way it was stretch over his shoulders. He snorted realising it was so tight Ash’s every sculpted muscle was outlined in fine detail.

‘The promoter didn’t have my size,’ Ash said, refusing to look at his smirk, rolling up the sleeve where it was stretched over his bicep.

‘Uh-huh,’ Nick murmured disbelieving but amused. Having finished fiddling with his t-shirt, Ash finger-combed his hair and began to plait it. Nick watched, mesmerised, as the complicated French braid emerged.

‘How are doing that you do that?’ he murmured as Ash secured the plait and pulled the visor down to check it was even.

‘Everyone needs a hobby,’ Ash told Nick, deadpan, flicking it back over his shoulder, ‘can you drop me off?’ Nick snorted.

‘Depends where you’re going,’ he shrugged, a little stung. He knew Ash well enough not to expect pillow talk but they’d usually go for a beer after at least. ‘I haven’t seen you in months,’ Nick wasn’t quite able to keep himself from adding. Ash didn’t reply immediately but then let out a tight exhale.

‘In a couple of hours,’ he started, silver eyes on Nick, ‘the sun is going to come up. I need to see Kyrian before the sun sets again or he’s going to die — that much I know about the future.’ Nick felt another stab of irritation, did Ash really think he didn’t know how important it was that he spoke to Kyrian? But dawn was hours away and Kyrian was still too injured to leave Amanda’s sister’s place. Nick bit his tongue, eyes on Ash’s profile in the darkness.

‘I spend every moment I can with you,’ Ash said, as though he’d read Nick’s mind, ‘and believe me quite a few of them I can barely afford to.’

‘I just… I want to talk to you,’ Nick muttered, feeling heavy helplessness settling on his chest again.

‘We’re talking,’ Ash smiled at him.

‘This is fighting,’ Nick told him crossly, ‘I want to talk about things that aren’t Kyrian’s shitty decisions or work.’ Ash didn’t speak but Nick could feel his warm hand in his hair again. Nick let Ash pet him, not feeling much like arguing anymore.

‘You know what I am,’ Ash murmured at last. Nick sighed.

‘Put your seatbelt on,’ he muttered, giving in. Ash complied silently, pulling both levers before he got the right one to adjust the seat upright again. Nick bit his lip refusing to laugh. Neither of them spoke as he put the jag in reverse.


End file.
